April 1, 2023 C.O.D.N.

CONTENTS OF NEWSLETTER:

• Upcoming Central Oregon Meetings & Events
• Central Oregon Dental News
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Classified Ads
• Regional CE Calendar
• More Info.
• Editorials / Commentary
• Dear Dr. Rupert

UPCOMING  CENTRAL  OREGON  MEETINGS  &   EVENTS

(Please email any dental related events or courses that you would like posted on this calendar.)

April 13-15, 2023 Oregon Dental Conference

The 2023 Oregon Dental Conference will be 100% in-person! Join the ODA at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR April 13-15, 2023 for exceptional CE courses, the chance to shop the exhibit hall, and to catch up with your fellow dental professionals! Please check our Oregon Dental Conference website regularly for new developments and updates. http://www.oregondentalconference.org

April 22, 2023 Long-Term Practice Transition Planning Course

• Consani Associates Seminar Opportunity:
• 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
• Oxford Hotel (10 NW Minnesota Ave., Bend)
• Offered at no cost
• To register or for more info., email: info@mydentalbroker.com
• Long-Term Practice Transition Planning
• Cutting edge transition trends for both practice owners and future owners

May 1, 2023 Medical Management of Caries

• 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
• 849 Pacific Ave., Hood River, OR 97031 (Sponsored by One Community Health)
• Guest Speaker: John Frachella, DMD
• Register: contact Seirra Ogden [ sogden@onecommunityhealth.org , (541) 386-6380 Ext 1740 ]

May 18, 2023 (Thurs.) Central Oregon Dental Society Business / Dinner Meeting

• 6:00 pm Social Hour
• 7:00 pm Dinner and Meeting / CE
• The Riverhouse — Currents Building (3075 US-97 BUS, Bend, OR)
• Speaker: Dr. Kathleen Rueter: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Peri-Implantitis

September 21, 2023 (Thurs.) Central Oregon Dental Society Business / Dinner Meeting

• 6:00 pm Social Hour
• 7:00 pm Dinner and Meeting / CE
• The Riverhouse — Currents Building (3075 US-97 BUS, Bend, OR)
• Speaker: TBD

CENTRAL  OREGON  DENTAL NEWS

“Deeply-Rooted Dentistry” (Root Canals – Wisdom Teeth – Implants) is Finally Up & Running, and Ready to Serve Your Patients

After many months of countless delays… We are now starting to schedule patients. My beard used to be black, but now it is mostly white!  Thank you so much to each of you who have been so welcoming, supportive and accommodating during this process.

During my 14 years as an Air Force Dentist, I was trained in 2 different residencies with many USAF missions that allowed me to tackle all sorts of dental trauma.  The purpose of Deeply-Rooted Dentistry will be specifically providing Endodontic (RCT, Retreat, Root End Surgery), Oral and Perio Surgery (Hard & Soft Tissue Grafting using PRP/PRF), Implant placement (including surgically guided), TMJ Therapeutic Injections. We are a referral-based practice—and each patient that is treated will be returned to your office as soon as the procedure is completed.  I consider it a great privilege to provide personalized attention and the highest standard of excellence towards each patient that you entrust in my care—and will establish a direct and transparent communication with you until your patient is back in your office.

In the past two weeks, I have received a brand new Endodontic microscope.  I have had my eye on this specific one for the past 3 years and really look forward to putting it into good use.  Last week, the state-of-the-art, 70 Voxel CBCT from Rayscan Alpha Plus arrived. This is the 5^th CBCT brand that I have worked with and the technology surpasses all those I have used in the past. Mind Blowing!!  If you would like to come over and take a look, please feel free to contact me and we can set up a time. 

The website is finally up: www.deeplyrooteddentistry.com.  There are definitely some kinks I’m having to work through but I hope that you be able to take the time to see what we offer.  I have chosen to keep things simple in the office by making time for 4-6 patients a day, creating time for dental emergencies.  We will help maximize insurance reimbursements for your patients.

My children have acclimated well into their new school and we just skied Bachelor for the first time last week.  My wife Charlene has started teaching Voice officially at COCC this term, and she is totally enjoying her time there.  We have a Great Dane puppy, Vienna—and recently rescued a 4-year-old Huskita, Oslo.

We very much look forward to serving the Central Oregon Dental Community!

Please call us at 541-678-5060.

Dr. Paul Kim

Do You Have a Dental Assistant That Wants to Earn Their EFDA Certification?

The Oregon Dental Assistants Association (ODAA) supports all dental assistants without regard to the method in which they were educated. Graduates from Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) programs are awarded EFDA (Expanded Function Dental Assistant) Certification because they complete the skill sets within the program. However, assistants trained by other means earn the EFDA through an Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) examination and a check off sheet of skills.

The ODAA, in response to dental assistants who stated that they found it difficult to pass the DANB Oregon EFDA exam, has located content experts to create a course to help assistants prepare for this exam. The course will be presented as part of the Oregon Dental Conference in April.

This course entitled, Oregon DANB EFDA Exam Preparation will be held on Friday, April 14^th from 1:00-4:00 pm. The course will be presented by Ginny Jorgensen and Christina Becker who are both highly regarded dental assisting educators. It should prove to be a unique and excellent opportunity for your interested dental assistants!

Lynn Murray, M.Ed., CDA, EFDA, RFC, CPFDA, MADAA

Central Oregon Community College

Dental Assisting Program Director / Dental Clinic Manager

lmurray@cocc.edu or 541 383-7574

News From the ODA & ADA

• Register Now for the 2023 Oregon Dental Conference April 13-15, 2023: The 2023 Oregon Dental Conference will be 100% in person! Join the ODA at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR, April 13-15, 2023, for exceptional CE courses, the chance to shop the exhibit hall, and to catch up with your fellow dental professionals! Please check our Oregon Dental Conference website for agenda, speakers, and events. http://www.oregondentalconference.org
• ODA’s $20 Million Legislative Proposal Receives National Attention: Oregon House Bill 2979 and its companion, Senate Bill 441, were introduced in January. If passed, the legislation would designate $20 million to invest in education, training, and incentive programs to increase recruitment and retention of dental support staff. Read more here!
• Represent Dentistry on the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Advisory Board: We are seeking a dentist to serve on the Oregon Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Advisory Board. This is a great opportunity if you are interested in leadership and taking an active role in health care policy. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Advisory Commission (PDMP-AC) studies program issues, reviews the annual report, makes recommendations to OHA, and develops criteria for evaluating program data. Interested? Please contact Katy Adishian, ODA Government Affairs Coordinator at kadishian@oregondental.org for more details!
• Board Member Needed — Represent Dentistry on the Board of Denture Technology with the Health Licensing Office: The Board of Denture Technology is seeking to fill a Board vacancy with a licensed dentist. The Board members’ role is to provide input on industry standards, offer technical expertise, and provide a practitioner perspective on how policy changes affect the profession. Interested? Please contact Katy Adishian, ODA Government Affairs Coordinator, at kadishian@oregondental.org for more details! 
• Moda Holdings Group, Inc. Board of Directors — Call for Applicants: The call for applicants is open for one Dental Director on the Moda board for a term of 4 years. The incumbent in this position is running for re-election. With a broad array of companies under its corporate umbrella, Moda is committed to attracting candidates to serve on the Organization’s Boards of Directors who represent excellence in both the practice of dentistry and in its diverse business ventures. Review the full job description at http://bit.ly/ModaBoard Interested in serving on the Moda/ODA Board? Submit a letter of interest, CV/resume, and 3-5 references (no family and one non-dental) to leadership@oregondental.org by July 1, 2023.
• Share Your Insights with the ADA Health Policy Institute: Each month, the ADA Health Policy Institute (HPI) takes the pulse of the dental profession with a monthly poll of U.S. dentists to measure the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to gather dentists’ opinions on other current and emerging issues impacting their practices. Less than 10 minutes a month could make a difference in the dental industry. Join the panel today!
• ADA Academy CE: Catch up on the latest ADA webinars and on-demand video learning opportunities on your own schedule. From managing your practice to caring for your staff or your own mental health, new events are added regularly. See all digital events here. Many CE opportunities are free of charge.
• Learn how to Comply with New DEA Guidelines for Prescribing Controlled Substances: Section 1263 of the spending bill passed by the U.S. Congress in December 2022 requires prescribers of controlled substances to complete eight hours of one-time training on safe controlled substance prescribing to receive or renew their registration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The statutory language was taken from a separate bill called the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act (or MATE Act). Here are questions and answers to assist dentists in complying with continuing education requirements for DEA registration.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Please go to the ‘VOLUNTEER‘ page on the menu bar for contact and additional information about the following Central Oregon organizations seeking dental volunteers:
  • Central Oregon Community College Friday Clinic
  • Medical Teams International Mobile Dental Van
  • Donated Dental Service (DDS) Program
  • Healthy Beginnings  
  • Smile Central Oregon
  • Central Oregon Community College Dental Assisting Program
  • Volunteers in Medicine Clinic

CLASSIFIED ADS

 REGIONAL  CE  CALENDAR

MORE    INFO

Searching for a Dental Hygienist?

You might want to email the High Desert Dental Hygienists’ Association (CODHAinfo@gmail.com) and tell them about your need. They are very helpful and have a great database of Central Oregon Dental Hygienists and will email information about your opening to their members.

Announcements, Articles or Classifieds for the Newsletter

Article submissions for the Central Oregon Dental Community are encouraged and welcomed.  You can email your content to Dr. Mehdi Salari (bendsalari@gmail.com). The deadline to contribute articles or request the posting of information in the Newsletter is 5:00 pm PST on the second to last day of each month.  The Newsletter is typically sent out on the first or second day of each month. 

Advertising or Content for Future Newsletters

Please contact Dr. Mehdi Salari (bendsalari@gmail.com) if you would like to post a classified or advertisement in future issues of the Central Oregon Dental Newsletter.  The Central Oregon Dental Newsletter is available & sent to all practicing and retired Dentists, Specialists in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sisters, La Pine, Sunriver, Warm Springs & Powell Butte & Mitchell. The deadline to update or post an advertisement in the Newsletter is 5:00 pm PST on the second to last day of the each month.

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Everything above the Red Line is put together as a service to the Central Oregon Dental Community and is the nonpartisan news and events of this Newsletter.

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The Red Line

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The Red Line

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Everything below the Red Line is either for entertainment purposes or to stimulate conversation or debate. It’s personal, opinion based, has a conservative slant and is not meant to offend or upset … only to stimulate discussion. Reader discretion is advised.

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EDITORIALS / COMMENTARY

DISCLAIMER / WARNING: The opinions or comments expressed ARE NOT those of the Central Oregon Dental Society, Oregon Dental Association, American Dental Association or any of the Advertisers or Business Partners. Editorials and commentaries are OPINIONS ONLY and are simply meant to encourage discussion or dialogue. Readers are welcome and encouraged to contribute editorials or comments for inclusion in future issues.

Please Consider Contributing an Editorial or Column For Future Newsletters

This Newsletter is a forum for the Central Oregon Dental Community to stay in touch and connected and a place to have your voice heard. Your opinion columns, thoughts and feedback are encouraged and welcome.

April 1st … Happy APRIL FOOLS’ DAY

Possibly Politically Motivated Mask Mandate To Return For Dental Offices in Oregon

Just as the statewide mandate on masks for Healthcare Facilities is coming to an end, there is speculation that the Oregon Health Authority will soon be reinstating the Mask Mandate for Dental Offices for another three years, according to recently obtained internal emails, Board Meeting Minutes and documents.  

The new Interim Director of the Oregon Health Authority, Dr. Phulla Gibberishe, has stated that the COVID-19 virus has not gone away and Dental Office personnel will continue to be at a heightened risk for contracting COVID-19 for many more years.  The Oregon Health Authority’s insistence that all Dental Office personnel continue to wear masks even when they are not treating patients is due to an overabundance of caution and intended to help lower the risk and reduce the incidence of workers contracting the virus and missing work during a time when the number of dental office employees continues to decline.

The Interim Director of the Oregon Health Authority has stated that the OHA has been granted perpetual Executive Powers by the Governor of the State to ensure the safety and well being of all Oregonians.  The perpetual powers granted by the Governor allows the OHA to issue mandates which do not require the approval, vote or deliberation of the elected Representatives of the Oregon House or Senate.  According to the OHA Interim Director, “With that great power comes great responsibility; and the OHA intends to keep Oregonians at the highest risk levels safe for as long as is necessary to prevent another outbreak.  We are resolute in our efforts to keep dental industry staff safe, regardless of what the industry thinks is best for itself.  We have science on our side.”  

However, in somewhat self-incriminating emails obtained from the OHA, the general consensus from the members of the OHA was that Dentists tend to typically vote conservatively in elections and need to be shown by the OHA and those in power who really runs things in Salem and this State; and these new mandates are being viewed as backlash toward the Dental Industry which gave far more money to Republican candidates in the last election.

The Oregon Dental Association did not have any comments for the emails condemning the political nature of this mandate and has issued a broad statement for Dentists to refrain from using violence to express their displeasure for the new mandate which almost exclusively targets Dental offices across Oregon.  

Hermiston Dentist Dr. Steve Yoranis who has been a harsh, vocal and outspoken critic of the OHA was quoted in the Eastern Oregon Spokesman as saying, “The OHA can kiss my white a$%, besides … I pledge my allegiance to Idaho, not Salem!  There is no such thing as perpetual Executive Power!  Mandates and laws need to go through the House or Senate!  Nobody has the power to make arbitrary laws and impose them on others.  This isn’t Nazi Germany!  The OHA can go F&%$ itself!”

Additional political fallout from the new mandate is expected, as the OHA continues to flex its political muscle, while the mainstream media and news channels conveniently bury and refuse to cover this developing story.

April 1st … Happy APRIL FOOLS’ DAY

Evidence Based Politics Mehdi Salari  

We are all familiar with the term ‘Evidence-Based Dentistry’. In a nutshell, we want to prescribe and provide treatment and care that can be supported by past evidence, experience and scientific research. We all agree that it’s imprudent, wrong, malpractice and unethical to prescribe treatment or render care that lacks scientific evidence for success, has been shown to fail, or is detrimental to the overall health and well-being of our patients.

Patients trust us with their oral health care needs. The Board of Dentistry and Law Enforcement would quickly act to remove the license or press criminal charges against any dentist who consistently provides treatment which is detrimental to the health of his or her patients, or the community at large. We all agree that this is what is best for Dentistry and the public.

Public policies are also supposed to protect and serve the public. We should seek evidence and do research on things that are for the greater good of our society. Medicine has advanced, quality of life has improved and life expectancy has increased; because we are doing the things that improves the lives of ALL humans equally and not just a chosen few. Societies, communities and countries that have advanced the farthest are those who have put the well being and interests of their citizens, ahead of their leaders. Governments that have failed are the ones where incompetence, greed and the lust for power have overshadowed the fiduciary responsibility of looking after the citizens.

For some reason, as I look at what the policitican and so-called elected representatives are doing and practicing, I’m not seeing the same care and attention to protect the public, the greater good or our society, communities, cities, states or country. I personally think this is why there is so much apathy, indifference, depression, mental illness and anger in our world today. Politicians and elected officials are not providing evidence based policies that serve and protect our communities.

Here are a few examples of so called current public policies which in my opinion lack any evidence that they help our society, and in fact have proven over time that they hurt our communities, children, families, culture and society.

• Legalization of Drugs: can anyone show me the evidence of how the legalization of drugs has helped our children, communities, homeless population, driving fatalities or society? I realize recreational drugs are fun and make everyone feel better, but where is the evidence that it has helped improve the health, wealth and status of our country?
• Enabling our Homeless Population: Is there any evidence that shows how all the money, social services, resources and time that have been poured into our homeless problem has actually made the problem better? Any person with a brain can see that the communities that have poured the most money into feeding and housing the homeless are the very same communities that attract the most homeless, have higher crime rates, are more polluted with trash and are the least safe at night. No matter how much money a community pours into handouts, the problem only gets worse as more and more people line up to receive these free services and benefits. I want to help the homeless too, but the current approach does not solve the problem, it only makes the problem worse.
• Lowering of Public Education Standards and Benchmarks: Yes we all love our hard working school teachers, but is there anybody out there who feels that our kids actually learned personal responsibility, the value of hard work, the ability to deal with stress and were better prepared for college and life when they actually had some homework and things to keep them busy and engaged in the evenings instead of being on Social Media and their video games for lack of anything else to do? I know High School Seniors who are graduating with High Honors who cannot use the following terms correctly in a sentence: their, there and they’re! Another confusing concept for our graduating seniors is to, too and two. Where is the evidence that all the money and resources we are pouring into our public education system is actually producing educated seniors, instead of indoctrinated children? If our Honor students lack the basics, it makes me worry for the foundation our ‘C’ students are graduating with.
• Open Borders: Of course I want people to be able to move and start a new life in America. I too immigrated here 40+ years ago; but it is not sustainable to feed, provide health care, educate and house an endless supply of people who are moving here. It would be one thing if every migrant paid their own way; but there’s plenty of evidence that shows that a good amount of the money earned by the people in this country illegally is sent back to the country and families they left behind; while they practically live for free in America and receive government food stamps, healthcare, education and housing. How is that fair, sustainable or right to the folks who are being taxed to pay for all these entitlements? How is this policy of allowing an endless stream of people to enter and live for practically free in our society good for our working families and communities? Is increased crime and drug trafficing good for our towns? Are over-crowded classrooms good for our kids? Is a suffocating healthcare system good for the rest of us? When hospitals that are being overrun with individuals who can’t pay for their services, go broke and close their doors or stop upgrading to new and better life saving technology … is that good for anyone?
• Loan Forgiveness: Once again, in what universe is it OK and good to knowingly and willingly buy or get something that has value and then not be personally responsible for payment for the service or object that you purchased or obtained? Who gets to choose which loans are forgiven and which loans you must pay back? Where is the evidence that this type of policy helps our children, communities and society? There is far more evidence that this type of policy divides our nation, creates a sense of entitlement and resentment on the part of those who are working hard to pay back their debt.
• Continual Raising of the Debt Ceiling: Again, in what universe is it OK to continually spend money which you don’t yet have? Is there any evidence that raising our debt ceiling every year has actually solved the problem? Not really … it’s only made the problem worse. How much are our kids and grandchildren going to automatically have deducted from their paychecks in order to pay for crap we could easily live without? How is this type of policy good for our children, our communities and our future?

I could go on, but you get my drift. If our politicians were Dentists or Healthcare Providers and they were producing even one of the shameful and embarrassing results which I have listed above, they would have their licenses suspended or revoked. You couldn’t practice dentistry or medicine if your work was doing as much if not more harm than good to people in the community. If you continued to practice or render treatment which was harming people and the community, you would get sued for everything you own and spend some time in jail.

So how come our politicians can continually screw people in our communities, spend our money on their pet projects with little return on investment, endanger our safety, short-change our children’s education, feed the mental illness and depression in our land with more drugs and addicting substances, reduce the capabilities and handcuff our law enforcement and then turn around and win re-election after re-election and make a career out of incompetence and politics? In what universe can you do a crappy job, screw everyone over and then win re-election and have bridges, highways and buildings named after yourself for all the years you spent in so called public service?

I hate to be a conspiracy theory guy, but the only universe where you can do a crappy job and screw your fellow countrymen, women and children; and still continually win re-election is where the party in power runs and controls the media or the means to spread the propaganda of their choosing and silence opposing viewpoints; as well as control the elections … and sadly … that’s where we find ourselves at this time in history. I guess the April Fools’ joke is on us.

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April 2023

Dear Dr. Rupert,

There are at least 30 other Dentists in town who offer pretty much the same services and care that I do.  How can I differentiate and separate my practice from all the rest and entice new patients to pick my practice and encourage my existing patients to refer more of their family and acquaintances to our practice?

Signed, Want to be #1

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Dear Want to be #1,

So you want to be #1?  Well … you can be #2, because Dr. Rupert has already claimed that #1 spot and is the reigning Champion for 14 consecutive years!

If you want to be #1 … you have to act like and represent #1 … you have to show off your trophies, plaques, medals, certificates and awards.  In my practice, every operatory, window sill, wall and ceiling has an award, certificate or plaque hanging or sitting on it, which celebrates my greatness. 

Here are some examples of some of the many awards that I display at my office:

• Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sizemore Foundation 
• The Pilkington Award for Excellence 
• Annual Presidential Circle Club
• Mortensen Award for Exemplary Leadership 
• Hawthorne Club Lifetime Achievement Club
• Bellington Certificate Winner for 8 Consecutive Years
• Hope Circle of Excellence 
• Duke Endowment Recognition Award Recipient 
• The Mayor’s Community Award
• The Chowen Enrichment Award
• Lighthouse Commemorative Winner 
• The Kimball Legacy Foundation Winner 
• And many, many more prestigious and exclusive groups. 

My website has all my awards listed on it, my resume lists my numerous achievements, and my office has the physical certificates, plaques and awards.  As you can see, I’m quite accomplished and recognized as outstanding by many, many distinguished and elite circles, groups and organizations.  My patients and staff are all big believers in how impressive and long my list of achievements are, and the physical proof is right in front of their eyes.  I don’t brag or talk about being the best, I let my many awards and plaques do the talking on my behalf.

Now granted, none of those awards are real or actual … and I made them all up, printed them on certificate paper, or paid $45 to a Trophy shop to make the plaque for me; but the patients and staff don’t know that.  

Made up credentials and achievements are legitimate and a big part of our fake culture.  Most members of Congress and political office have never produced a job, run a business, produced any income, product or service for their communities; but they talk like they know how to do all those things and are in fact repeatedly telling all the actual producers in America how to do their job.  In fact, those who tell the biggest lies and distort the truth the most; typically rise to the highest offices in their communities, towns, state or nation through elections with made up results.  Nobody checks any claims that are made by candidates, especially if they are Liberal candidates.

I figure if this method of marketing works and is good  for Presidents, Vice Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Governors … then it’ll work and is good for me.

Don’t waste another minute!  Get going on your computer and print yourself some Lifetime Achievement Awards or Legacy or Presidential Awards from any random or made up organization.  The public is easily fooled by fluff, plastic tokens, Bitcoin, pieces of meaningless paper and things they see on the internet or the evening news.  We wouldn’t have the incompetent politicians we have had in office for the last 30 years if this marketing plan was not effective.

Glad I could help,

Dr. Rupert